Sony Ericsson K700 review: A winner

Marek Lutonský,
10 July 2004.

Let's have fun

Sony Ericsson made a clean brake with the Mophun game platform and is now concentrating on Java only. This type of Java supports Mascot Capsule Engine Micro3d Edition, which is a 3D technology. You can see its possibilities in the integrated game Super Real Tennis, which looks very interesting. Controlling characters through the joystick seems quite sensitive to me. You need to gain knowledge of the game first. You can play single games, join a tournament and increase your skills gradually.

The game is very smooth

Another demonstration of 3D technologies is Darts. A point is running with high speed on a dartboard and when it crosses the bull's eye or a segment you want to hit, you should press the joystick. Problem is that the point is moving really fast. RiverRiders game is well known. As a water sportsman you have to drive as fast as possible through a selected river: Colorado, Yangtze or Omo. Beware of logs, stones and malicious whirls in the river.

In both cases values are very good. Sony Ericsson is not the fastest Java phone but comparing to its forerunners it takes a big step forward.

Internet with K700

For mobile Internet connection Sony Ericsson K700 features GPRS class 10 (4+2 timeslots), circuit switched data and HSCSD as well. PC connection runs via Bluetooth, infrared port or cable (must be additionally bought). K700 supports all possible Bluetooth profiles. You can find the complete list on this web page. There is a Remote control item in the menu, which should somehow help controlling PowerPoint or music player in a PC. User's guide is silent about this functionality. I was not able to run it. Update 27 Dec, 2004: The Remote Control function in bluetooth menu is quite easy to use actually, it's a Bluetooth Dev HID for mouse and keyboard. If you install Windows XP Service Pack 2 that comes with Bluetooth support the Remote Control function is automatically activated while connecting to the PC. When the mobile is detected by the computer, it adds Bluetooth modem and HID device on the system and you get a prompt on the phone to activate the remote. (Thanks to Salman Aziz Khan)

Bluetooth menu

WAP browser displays also web pages. As you can see from the pictures, I took a look at MobilMania text version and even opened the Google search engine. Browser is not designed for serious work, but good enough to look at web sites text versions. It's very fast and remembers visited addresses.

WAP browser main page (offline) • two times MobilMania WAP

Mobilmania text version • browser supports pictures as well • Google

Data profile settings in Sony Ericsson K700 are not really simple. Well, it's not simple with any phone, which supports WAP and TCP/IP connection at a time. Connection is set on more than one place and you need to know what to do. Sony Ericsson offers on its website a tool for WAP and MMS setting.

Data accounts at the phone

Really the best mobile?

Sony Ericsson K700 is equipped, elegant, solid … surely an attractive phone. It has reached first position by total of points, got by editorial comparative method. Only one percent divides K700 from the second phone, Nokia 6230. That's right, K700 is really a phone loaded with functions.

But what's convenient to the comparative method is not necessarily convenient to the user. Sony Ericsson K700 failed in just two essential functions: it has a small phone book with a very slow search function. What is 40 MB of memory or 3D game support used for, when the main functions are not working satisfactory?

Perhaps I am too hard on the phone. After all, previous models T610/T630 were bestsellers, users are happy with them and the new K700 mobile works absolutely the same way. So I stay with the verdict that it's one of the best-equipped mobile phones nowadays. Maybe few people won't be really satisfied with it.